Chapter 1745: Walking Through the Forbidden Zone

Ye Fan has arrived, descending upon the Big Dipper star field and causing an uproar. His prestige has been soaring lately; he is invincible wherever he goes, having killed ancient Supremes and become unparalleled in the world.

What is he doing here? With the Cauldron of Mother Qi of All Things suspended above his head and weapons protecting his body, this is certainly not a peaceful journey. Otherwise, why would such a pervasive aura of killing intent fill the air?

"This shouldn't be," people murmured. "He has already eliminated a lineage of the Hegemon Bloodline. If he continues to sweep through with such power, he will make too many enemies. He cannot possibly flatten several major restricted zones."

"He's overdoing it," some said. "If this continues, even a Great Accomplished Saint Body could be in danger. Restricted zones cannot be flattened just by wishing it; so many Great Emperors haven't managed to do it either."

People acknowledged Ye Fan's power, but they still worried for him if he continued like this. Supremes were once the strongest beings in the heavens and earth, and the restricted zones of the Big Dipper were particularly different from the ancestral caves of the Great Accomplished Hegemon Body. Beings here can undergo extreme sublimation, ultimately becoming true Great Emperors. At that point, the appearance of even one could suppress the world.

Even if Ye Fan is very powerful, so young, and possesses vitality as vast as the sea, he might not be a match for a Forbidden Being who has sublimated. There could be unforeseen consequences.

Emperors are invincible! This is not just talk. Titles like Great Emperor and Ancient Sovereign are weightier than Mount Tai. Each one is unique, unparalleled, and revered across the nine heavens and ten lands.

Regardless, Ye Fan had arrived. He walked across the Eastern Barren Lands, passing one forbidden zone of life after another. Everyone knew that as long as he didn't make a move, the restricted zones wouldn't actively attack him. His power was now well-established, and a Supreme, without undergoing sublimation, could not kill him.

No one would be so noble as to sublimate themselves to confront Ye Fan just to reassure other restricted zones. Furthermore, even if they sublimated, they might not truly kill Ye Fan; there could be various unforeseen circumstances, and they might even be counter-killed. It was full of variables and risks. The various restricted zones should be quite wary of Ye Fan; they did not wish for him to attack.

Yet Ye Fan came, truly intending to step inside. However, he did not enter the Desolate Ancient Restricted Zone; he merely nodded in greeting there before heading straight away.

The Undying Mountain was towering and majestic. Its black peaks were like kings among mountains, grand and imposing. No one dared to enter casually, for it held endless secrets. However, today Ye Fan walked straight in. The formation patterns here could no longer stop him. Stone figures emerged, but they trembled with fear.

The news of Ye Fan entering the Undying Mountain shook the world like a thunderclap. Just moments ago, he was merely circling outside. Now he had truly entered. Was he choosing this place to act? Some existences within the restricted zones awakened, watching with cold indifference. As for the Supremes in the mountain, their gazes were like cold lightning, piercing through the deepest mists and across numerous peaks, staring at Ye Fan. In fact, someone really wanted to strike him down with a single palm, but they restrained themselves. If truly pushed to that extent, Ye Fan would certainly engage in a fierce battle with them, forcing them to emerge. That would consume too much essence blood, and they might not be able to survive this current life.

The Undying Mountain became eerily quiet for a moment, so quiet it felt suffocating! Outside, countless people felt their hearts almost stop, because a Supreme war could erupt on Big Dipper at any moment, and they might become dust, ceasing to exist. At that moment, many people cried out, soaring into the sky and fleeing the Big Dipper, not daring to remain. The only thing that made people fortunate was that Ye Fan did not release his unparalleled vitality; otherwise, the very ground might have cracked open.

His footsteps echoed in the vast emptiness as Ye Fan strolled through the Undying Mountain, silent. In the past, he had entered here when the Supremes were in their deepest slumber, but compared to now, it was truly worlds apart. Now, he was walking openly and honorably, strolling here with no one daring to stop him!

What was he going to do? Was he truly going to flatten the Undying Mountain, many speculated. As his echoing footsteps resonated, Ye Fan arrived at the mountain's depths. His gaze swept over the massive mountains. Unfortunately, he did not find the "Aged Medicine," which was the Black Tortoise Immortal Herb; it was not here, clearly carried by the Supreme within the mountain. He continued forward, heading straight for an ancient tree whose leaves swayed, radiating light everywhere. An ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree was rooted there, shimmering with dazzling colors.

Each leaf on it was unique, with 108 leaves in total, crystal clear and brilliantly shining. Some resembled small cauldrons, some small Qilins, and others were of various unique shapes. They represented different paths of cultivation and were extremely significant for enlightenment. The leaves were now considered mature, but no one dared to wait outside for them anymore. Because the Supremes had revived and had not yet fallen into their deepest slumber, no one dared to risk taking the leaves.

Ye Fan walked closer and directly began plucking, harvesting all the leaves. Each leaf, like a heavenly glow piercing the air, was dazzlingly brilliant. This time, the old Enlightenment Tea Tree did not flee, because it knew that before a Supreme, at such a close distance, it had no chance at all. Ye Fan calmly and composedly harvested the immortal tea deep within the restricted zone. He placed the leaves into a jade jar, then circled the area, gazed repeatedly at the Supreme's dwelling, and turned to leave.

Everyone was stunned. This was extremely arrogant—to dare to act like this in a Supreme's home, without any fear. Was this a deterrence and a challenge? However, everyone knew that Ye Fan held a deep grudge against the Undying Mountain. During the dark turmoil of that year, the Stone Emperor had wreaked havoc, and many of Ye Fan's relatives and friends had died, such as Ji Zi and Jiang Taixu. His visit now was no surprise.

If the ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree could be moved from here, he might have dug it up and taken it. The Undying Mountain was a mysterious place, one of the primordial immortal lands of the universe. Only this place could cultivate the Enlightenment Tea Tree; in the past, Emperor Wushi had tried to dig it up, but it could not survive elsewhere. Ye Fan did not break off any branches of the Enlightenment Tea Tree because he had an ambition to rule here in the future. This tree could not be destroyed now; it was reserved as his own immortal medicine.

The whole world was in an uproar. Ye Fan entered the restricted zone, plucked the Supreme's Enlightenment Immortal Tea leaves right in front of them, and calmly left, just like that...

"Brat!" A cold snort came from the depths of the Undying Mountain. No more words were spoken, as the Supreme knew that Ye Fan was not yet ready for a full battle. Otherwise, he wouldn't have walked away like this; he would have fought tooth and nail.

"When I underwent tribulation, someone from the Undying Mountain also attacked. Don't be indignant!" Ye Fan retorted, leaving behind this cold remark as he walked out of the mountain. This was a tit-for-tat exchange, a distant confrontation. Neither side wanted to fight, so this was the only outcome.

Afterwards, Ye Fan entered the Divine Ruins. Here, numerous ruins and Dao imprints lay everywhere, and a gigantic South Heaven Gate stood tall, a relic of the Ancient Heavenly Court that had fallen here long ago. It was Ye Fan's first time here. As he stepped through the South Heaven Gate, he sensed a magnificent aura, as if the ripples of an Emperor Venerable's Dao imprint swept across the void. The ruins were boundless. This place was once the paradise of the gods, but now it was known as the Divine Ruins, where Supremes lay dormant.

Ye Fan was clearly here for the Flat Peach Tree. Unfortunately, the Supremes had guarded against him and had already moved the tree, planting it in the deepest part of the Divine Ruins. He was a step too late.

Boom! Ye Fan made his move, striking the ground. His large hand reached down, pulling up a ley line. He held it in his palm, and wisps of ethereal immortal mist floated up, refreshing the spirit with a flowing fragrance. This was a divine spring, gushing forth from the ley line. It had never dried up since ancient times, flowing out to the surface and then seeping back into the earth's core, forming a cycle.

"Don't go too far!" someone from the depths of the Divine Ruins spoke. Their voice was cold and ruthless, but they did not make a move.

"When I underwent tribulation, you also attacked. A single divine spring isn't enough compensation," Ye Fan retorted with a cold gaze. He refined the vast ley line into a three-inch length, glowing in his palm with immortal energy steaming off it. This was a true divine spring, on the same level as the nine springs in the Desolate Ancient Restricted Zone back then. It was the best source of water for cultivating immortal medicine, refining pills, and prolonging human life essence. It was rarely found anywhere else in the world; now, only in the restricted zones of life did they still exist, having been moved there by Supremes.

Ye Fan was very impolite. He directly dug up this ley line and took this divine spring's source, preparing to leave it for the Heavenly Court's use. This kind of gain was quite good. Although the Supremes were dissatisfied, they would not come out to fight to the death. Ye Fan also knew how far to push, as he didn't want to fight to the death either. Of course, whether he offended them or not was not important. Since these people had attacked him during his tribulation that day, their future relationship was already predetermined, even if he had let it go without seeking an explanation. Therefore, Ye Fan's arrival was a blatant act of plunder and extortion.

He circled the area, thoroughly examining the Divine Ruins. Then he carried away the South Heaven Gate and left triumphantly, showing not a shred of respect. The Supremes within the Divine Ruins, their eyes utterly cold, stared at his retreating figure, but they were helpless. They did not want to undergo extreme sublimation, but without it, they were destined to be unable to kill their opponent.

In the Eastern Barren Lands, everyone was dizzy with disbelief. What had Ye Fan done? He had swaggered out, carrying the South Heaven Gate? One must know, that was the Divine Ruins' very facade! To change hands in such a manner left people speechless, making them even more wary of his strength and power. Clearly, the Supremes had acquiesced because they had harassed Ye Fan during his tribulation. Now both sides were seeking an unofficial "compensation" to reach a balance.

The Immortal Mausoleum was desolate, with hills everywhere. Each not very tall, but all imposing; some were wreathed in Yin energy, while others had auspicious glows piercing the sky. This place was extremely mysterious, considered the burial ground of ancient immortals. Although all the tombs were empty, people believed it was due to immortal bodies undergoing ascension, leaving no true remains.

Ye Fan arrived, strolling and searching here, moving from one place to another. In the past, the Venerable of Longevity had lain dormant here and died during the dark turmoil; however, there were still Supremes here. Finally, Ye Fan selected over a hundred prehistoric stone tablets from here. He pulled them all out completely, intending to take them away for thorough study. Ye Fan took the stone tablets, unimpeded. This left all the forces in the Eastern Barren Lands dumbfounded and somewhat numb.

Not long after, he appeared at the Primordial Restricted Zone, arriving at the edge of the ancient mine. This time, he couldn't get close because several powerful forces blocked his path. "Nothing else," he stated directly, "I want a Primordial Fate Stone." After an unknown period, a silvery-white wondrous stone flew out. About the size of a washbasin, it flowed with immortal light and exuded immortal essence, incredibly astonishing. Ye Fan grabbed it with one hand and turned to leave. The Primordial Ancient Mine did not lack such items, but they were not abundant either. Outside, Fate Stones were incredibly rare and precious, something people would fight to the death for.

Ye Fan continued his journey, his last stop being the Sea of Reincarnation. After passing through the mountain gate, a vast, dazzling ocean lay before him, its waves crashing. It was also in the Eastern Barren Lands, but it did not manifest in the mortal world, forming its own realm. This was Ye Fan's first time here. He looked carefully, examining it again and again.

"Brat, there's nothing here for you to covet," a cold voice stated.

"Yes, there is: your life!" Ye Fan replied calmly. No one expected that at his last stop, Ye Fan actually intended to make a move.